Punk Rock Girls at BAM, ‘American Jesus’ and More in This Week’s Repertory Film

“In his quest to explore obsessive religious practice in the American heartland, Spanish filmmaker Aram Garriga discovers what Werner Herzog meant when he described the U.S. as being the most exotic place he ever visited. While drawn consistently to interview some of the most extreme subjects he can find on the fringes of Christianity—Pentecostal snake-handlers are only the beginning—Mr. Garriga is more comfortable with clear-eyed observance than a rush to judgment. Even evangelical surfers find a place in his documentary, which frames unconventional displays of faith against larger questions of national identity.”